Voters in the Mariemont City School District will likely see a tax-hike issue on the ballot this year, but the Board of Education has not made a final decision yet. / Lisa Wakeland/The Community Press

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Voters in the Mariemont City School District might be asked to approve a tax hike this year.

A tax budget for the district, which will be discussed at a public hearing beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, assumes passage of a tax-hike issue in 2014.

Budget documents show the tax hike would generate about $1.9 million a year. Ken White, who will be the Board of Education president for 2014, said they’ve discussed a tax-hike issue, but there hasn’t been a formal decision yet.

Voters last approved an tax hike in 2010 when an operating levy was combined with a bond issue for the new construction and renovations of all the schools except the high school.

Superintendent Steven Estepp said the school district would likely aim to place the tax-hike issue on the November ballot, and the Board of Education is expected to make a decision this spring.

The tax hike would be for new operating dollars, and Estepp, along with Treasurer Tom Golinar, will talk about the future of the district during the State of the Schools.

The tax budget, Golinar said, places the five-year forecast in six-month terms for the Hamilton County Auditor’s Office.

Other items of note:

• The budget does show deficit spending for this fiscal year and the next fiscal year, but Golinar said the school district has enough money in its cash reserves to cover roughly $713,000 difference this fiscal year, which ends June 30, and the roughly $1 million difference in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

• Revenues are expected to rise in the next several years by about 1 percent because of increases in inside millage and new construction.

• A new funding formula will affect how much money the Mariemont schools receive from the state, but it is not known how much it will change.

• Spending on teachers and staff is expected to increase slightly. For this fiscal year, there was no increase in base salaries for teachers and staff.

However, there was some extra money factored in for incremental step increases, which are typically automatic and based on years of experience and education level, substitutes, overtime and miscellaneous services.

• On benefits, the projections reflect a 15 percent employee contribution to insurance premiums and a 14 percent board contribution to employee retirement.